If was heavyweight boxing match it would have been a first round knockout. If it was a little league baseball game, it would have been stopped in the third inning due to the mercy rule. It was Michael Phelps swimming against Mike Douglas. It was the University of Georgia Men's Football team taking on Central Connecticut State on Homecoming Weekend. It was a mismatch, a blowout, a white washing. It was the referendum known as TSPLOST, and it got pummeled.
On paper, before the vote, it looked like TSPLOST had a chance. To continue the sports analogies, the TSPLOST supporters had the big names. Governor Nathan Deal, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Clark Howard, major support from big business in the region. The opponents of TSPLOST didn't have such a superstar lineup. Batting lead-off was Tea Party Patriot Debbie Dooley.
But when the final whistle blew and the final ballot was counted, Dooley and the anti-TSPLOST crowd could look up at the scoreboard and marvel at the outcome. In the Atlanta region, TSPLOST was defeated 63 percent to 37 percent. Total votes: 416,230 against TSPLOST, 247,970 for TSPLOST. Huge margin of victory.
So, where do we go from here? What's the next step in trying to improve the ever worsening traffic situation in Atlanta?
I've long been a proponent of more toll roads in Atlanta. Here's was my idea from June 26 of last year:
More tolls equals less driving. The more costly a trip is, the more thought one would put into making that trip.
More tolls equals more carpooling — hopefully. With the added expense of a toll, perhaps more people would look into carpooling with a friend, neighbor or co-worker. The more people car pool, the better traffic will be.
More tolls equals more telecommuting. With the extra cost of tolls, perhaps employers would be more willing to give their employees the opportunity to telecommute. If 20 percent of workers were allowed to telecommute imagine how much better your commute would be.
More tolls equals more money. Ever notice how many out of state license plates you see on cars when you drive on interstates in the Atlanta area? People from other states use Interstates 75 and 85 all the time driving through Georgia to other states and destinations. Unless they stop for gas here, they are using our roads free of charge. Nothing is going to prevent them from driving on our roads, so we might as well make a buck or two during their voyage. With the state in such a financial crunch, those extra dollars could mean a lot.
I would copy the model used by other states. If you go to New York you will see ten EZ Pass Lanes (their version of Cruise Card lanes) and two cash lanes. This gives local drivers a huge home field advantage. Instead of waiting in the cash lanes, locals get to zip through the automated lanes. Therefore, we take out-of-staters out of the traffic equation. They get stuck in toll lines, while we move on down the road.
With the sound defeat of the TSPLOST, it's time to start working on a Plan B. For me, that plan starts will more toll roads.
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